Exercise & Fitness: it’s a marathon, not a sprint

[Iskaral Pust]

I was very busy in work all last week but then I finally got a long swim on Saturday (~90 minutes, including some pauses to chat with my wife and son) and then a long session of squats on Sunday.  I’ll try to fit in some more weights midweek, and at least one more swim.

Now that the weather has cooled somewhat, my son is going running each morning.  He wants to build up his cardio fitness ahead of the return to school sports.  His swimming is very good and he could absolutely swim competitively for his high school team but he doesn’t think the hours in the pool are worth it, and he’s probably right — he hardly has any time as it is during the school year.

[ithanos]

Dusting the cobwebs off of this thread. Found it languishing on page 3. Last time I viewed a page 3 I was almost blinded by the headlights.

I hope everyone who uses this thread, as a regular prompt, has been diligently attending to their physical well-being.

I think I mentioned it some months ago but my gym reopened after lock-down in early October 2021. That anniversary is only a week or so away and the countdown is marked in my browser home page calendar as "The Fourier Year" (for the personal transform). The weight I had allowed to creep up on me over 3yrs was lost in the first 7 months of the Fourier year, and the last few months have been spent trying to work out ways to keep muscle whilst losing fat. I took a DEXA scan for the first time in March of this year (I wish I had taken one at the onset last October) and had a second DEXA five months later in August. The results indicated I had maintained lean muscle mass (yay) and dropped only fat, which lowered my overall fat%. Interestingly, my bone mineral content/bone density had increased during that period, which was a pleasant surprise (we went through a 3month hypertrophy cycle at the gym which everyone was getting bored of towards the end but it seems to have paid off - deadlifts ftw). With the DEXAs providing valuable reference I booked myself a VO2 Max Test, scheduled in a couple weeks. Never done a VO2 Max test before and am kinda not looking forward to the process. These tests, DEXA, VO2 Max test, are not cheap but I seek the insights they can provide and that has greater value.    

[baxus]

8 hours ago, ithanos said:

countdown is marked in my browser home page calendar as "The Fourier Year" (for the personal transform)

Among all your accomplishments (congrats on all of them, btw) over the last year this name deserves a special credit

Edited September 29, 2022 by baxus

[BigFatCoward]

9 hours ago, ithanos said:

Dusting the cobwebs off of this thread. Found it languishing on page 3. Last time I viewed a page 3 I was almost blinded by the headlights.

 

We are all fattening up so we don't have to spend as much on heating this winter. 

[Starkess]

I'm in the middle of moving so my workout routine has taken a hit, but still been getting at least a little bit in when I can. Struggled through a 5 miler walk/run on the treadmill--I hate treadmill running but where I'm staying in the heart of downtown LA is really not conducive to running outside. Luckily I'll be finally settled in my new apartment in Pasadena next week which should be much more runnable! As far as the gym, still dealing with some chest pain so not ready to start lifting weights again until I can really get that sorted out.

My new job has a 9/80 schedule which is really going to make it hard to find a good time to workout. I am typically working about 8 to 5:30 and by the time I get home it's just a little too late to fit in a workout before dinner. Sigh.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

I'm officially old. While doing a deep clean of my home gym I found a pair of 5lb wrist and ankle weights and have been wearing them all day. 

[TormundsWoman]

You’re not old Ty, you’re just older!

that being said, if you’re not upping those to 8lbs soon, I’ll think of you as a grandpa

Myself, since last I posted here, I kept steadily increasing the speed of my runs and the type of runs I did. My stiffness disappeared and knees felt normal once I didn’t push that hard.

My training plan worked and I felt so good that I ended up improving my 10k time to 54:58 on treadmill and 1:04:13 on forest preserve trail with a total ascent of 25 m on a very windy day.

I also accidentally ran 17 miles because I listen to Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit and I simply forgot to stop. Best audiobook listening ever. Weather was beautiful too, saw a couple of does and a Buck during these runs and well, all in all it was a good Aug and Sept.

Now it’s the time to start going to the gym again for all workouts and runs since weather will get colder but I hope to get some weekend runs in the forests all the same and on the Lakeshore as well. We will see.

[Iskaral Pust]

I’ve had some unfortunate disruption to exercise since Labor Day.  First I got a flu shot and the new COVID bivalent booster on the same Friday, which nixed that weekend.  Then I had some travel, then some gardening, and now a I’ve spent a week battling a low level chest infection (my son got bacterial pneumonia after returning to school).  Suddenly four weeks have elapsed with no exercise.

After lots of swimming but only inconsistent weightlifting over the summer, I want to get back to a consistent program of running and weights for the next several months.  First step is to get back to a baseline of normal health and then overcome this malaise of fatigue and restart the habit of prioritizing regular exercise.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Woot, making the most of my day off. Ran a bunch of errands, mowed the lawn, went for a couple mile jog and lifted weights for roughly 75 minutes then ate a lunch that had 6-8 veggie servings. Makes up for ordering a pizza yesterday.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Tywin et al.

[DJDonegal]

Getting back into exercise but in a very different way. I used to do a lot of cardio but have joined a gym and started lifting weights in the last few months. I know it's not a calorie burner (well not *really*) but I'm enjoying it more than I ever enjoyed pounding the pavement for hours on end every week. Plus it's getting my strength up - my all-time PB for press ups was 2 and now I'm up to 9 (as of a couple of weeks ago).

But also finding that I'm having to manage some niggles it throws up. I've always had a slightly dodgy lower back so I discovered quickly that barbell squats aren't for me. Not right now anyway - maybe if my mobility was better. More annoyingly I find the back of my left shoulder hurts after doing any front shoulder exercises, or even incline bench pressing. Going to see a physio about that as it could be rotator cuff but I can lift and move my shoulder OK, there's just a dull ache for a little while after I do any pressing movements that hit the front shoulder.

Back to the positive I'm finding my favourite exercises are calf raises (both standing and sitting), dumbbell shrugs, and cable bicep curls. Have tried and hated barbell squats, or any shoulder press (stupid left shoulder).

[baxus]

After 14 months of hiatus from exercise caused by shoulder injury and unsuccessful PT and other stuff, my shoulder pain has gone away enough that I've decided to start exercising again. I've decided to go with personal training regimen for a couple of months before returning to group workouts, to strengthen and stabilise my shoulders and build up some fitness before ramping up the intensity.

The first session was on Tuesday, I'm going back for another one today. My fitness levels are pathetic at the moment. I guess that is to be expected with walking the dog as my only exercise for the last year, but it still hit me hard.

[Iskaral Pust]

It took me a month to get clear of that chest infection.  And now we’re spending a month in a temporary rental home with no home gym.  I’m getting a few runs in but overall my exercise has really gone MIA these past few months.  I have a great plan to return to a disciplined regime of weightlifting over the winter.  We’ll be back in our house, with our home gym, in December.

 

[apovsic]

On 10/25/2021 at 2:50 PM, apovsic said:

Did my first marathon yesterday. It was hard, very hard. Not as painful as shorter distances can be, but just draining after 30 km. Last 5 km felt like when one is swimming in the sea and then tries to walk last couple of meters to the shore with water above waist. And in the finish I didn't even get the promised endorphin doze . My brain kinda zone out at 35 km and when I stopped I was just confused, like  "What now?" . Also I lost 3 kg, I was shivering after 10 min and had to put like 5 layers of clothes, just not to feel cold, I was sick and my throat was burning.

So, it was awesome, can't wait for the next one.

  Reveal hidden contents

I ran 2:46, if you also need this info.

 

So, I did it again. This year I went to Verona in Italy. It's really beautiful city, I recommend it, just it can be crowded around "Juliet's balcony" (Juliet form Romeo&Juliet and yes I know that the balcony is "fake", but when in Verona ...).

So, the marathon. It went better than the first one, my fastest 5 km time was from 30 - 35 km, but then I hit the wall pretty hard around 38 km. I stopped and walked at 40 km, but managed to pull myself together for last 2k. My legs very pretty beaten up, but fortunately my mind was still pretty OK and I was able to pull my finisher scream at the end, so that was nice. And day latter I feel fine, no problem, except the legs are stiff and walking down the stairs is awkward, which is small problems compare to last year.

So, can't wait for the next one.

Time in the spoilers:

Spoiler

2:39:19, I also mange perfect time split with first half at 1:19:39 and second at 1:19:40. And also I was totally unaware that was 6. overall, I only find out, when I was back home in Slovenia 

 

[Starkess]

Congrats!! Sounds like a pretty awesome race!

[apovsic]

7 minutes ago, Starkess said:

Congrats!! Sounds like a pretty awesome race!

Thanks, yeah it's pretty awesome to run pass all the monuments build centuries ago. I'll try to run more of this kind of races and combine it with sightseeing, because I live close to Italy and it's full of this kind of ancient cities.

Also a little bit of offtopic: I was talking with my sister about that, Slovenia is so small, that we sometimes have some different senses of scales. I live three hours ride from Venice, but I was never there, because "it's to far away!". Verona is 400 km (or 4h car ride) away and a lot of people asked me why do I go so far for a race. OTOH Americans  or Australians or Russians (I think) won't blink twice, if they have to go race (or go sightseeing) 400 km away.

[Starkess]

Haha yeah, my parents live 3 hours from the nearest major airport! That's nothing for me.

[BigFatCoward]

Got another one of those 'nothing happened but i woke up in major discomfort' injuries that seem more and more common in mid 40s.  This time its really awful ankle pain that seems to migrate around over the last month, sometimes in the heel, sometimes left ankle bone, sometimes right ankle bone.  Ice and ibuprofen makes it manageable, but not being able to cycle for a month is really affecting my mental health and my weight (i've put on half a stone). 

I really need to renew my gym membership at work (its free, i just have to fill out some paperwork) so i can do something, i'm working longer shifts now so can easily justify an hour break for a weights workout. 

[Arakasi]

I’m actually in the best shape of my life in ways in my mid 40s. Certainly strength wise although I have been stronger in cardio. Trying to be a bit more balanced and being my weight down to 220 instead of 232 (I am 6’2”). I did notice at 226-227 now I did lose a bit of strength from the mid 230s. Well more the endurance than strength but still. (Could do the weight but not for as many reps)

[baxus]

My individual training is going well for the moment. I've been working primarily on recovering my shoulder but focused on my core and legs as well, since next Friday I'll be going to Italy for a week-long skiing/snowboarding trip and I'll be needing that.

Can't wait to hit the slopes next weekend. It's been 4-5 years since I've taken a proper snowboarding vacation, and 3,5 years since I've even laced my snowboarding boots up. Plus, going away for a week with my 3 best friends is just what I need after a rather messy year I've had.

Edited November 24, 2022 by baxus

[Liffguard]

Finding myself in a really annoying position of feeling incredibly restless and really yearning for more exercise, but also bored senseless and totally uninterested in all the forms of exercise I might actually do.

Like, I want to move my body more, but also the thought of spending a second of brain power thinking about sets or reps or distances or km paces or training routines makes me want to punt my head through a wall.